


Be Careful What You Wish For

by cassiopeiasara



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Bodyswap, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Hackle Summer Trope Challenge 2019, Time Travel, magical mishaps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 07:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/pseuds/cassiopeiasara
Summary: Ada makes a wish with some unforeseen consequences.





	Be Careful What You Wish For

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Getting this in right under the wire. This combines Day 3: Bodyswap and Day 5: Time Travel Thank you to riku for Mel's witchy name. Hope you enjoy!

It wasn’t unusual for Hecate and Ada to reminisce from time to time about whether or not their relationship would have changed had they chosen to reveal themselves at different intervals in their shared history. It seemed tonight however that the period Ada chose threw Hecate for more of a surprise than Ada anticipated.

Hecate’s eyes widened. “The night of the council mixer?”

Ada nodded as she finished rubbing lotion into her hands. She stood from her vanity and waved a hand to relight the fireplace. “Yes, I had a speech all prepared, I just couldn’t get away from Melannara Merriweather long enough.”

Hecate knitted her eyebrows and clasped her hands in her lap. “If only I’d realized.”

Ada settles in bed next to her. “Hmm?”

“Well, I,” she took a deep breath, “I’d convinced myself when I saw you with Miss Merriweather that I had no reason to hope. Someone, I forget who now, mentioned what a pair you made and that’s why I left early.”

“Oh,” whispered Ada. “I wish I’d known, I would have searched harder. I would have told you that next—"

Hecate extended a hand to Ada’s hip, pulling her closer. “We’re here now.” 

Ada smiled despite how much her mind was wondering at the revelation. “That we are.” She leaned up to press her lips against Hecate’s. Hecate moved to caress Ada’s cheek as she kissed back with a familiar insistence. 

Ada parted from their kiss a while later and sighed. “We should get some rest.” Hecate pouted slightly. Ada chuckled and added, “we’ll have plenty of time this weekend.”

Hecate nodded and kissed Ada’s forehead before she clicked her fingers to extinguish the light. Ada laid her head on Hecate’s chest, comforted by her heartbeat strong and steady under Ada’s cheek. How wonderful to have this. There was no need to wish any different as she had everything she needed in this moment but she did slightly wonder…

* * *

Ada woke up to an empty space next to her. It wasn’t necessarily an uncommon occurrence but the coolness of the sheets when she reached out told her that she’d been alone a while. She rubbed her eyes and blinked against the morning light. When she whispered the spell for her spectacles, she noticed their shape was different. 

“Strange.”

Ada moved to wash her face and let out a surprised squeal at the figure before her. Her mouth opened in awe as her younger self stared back. It was then that she realized no wedding ring adorned her left hand and the rooms she was situated in were the ones from her Deputy days. 

She bit her lip and wondered if this was some strange dream when there was a frantic knock at the door. She cleared her throat and smoothed her hair, surprised to find a long braid instead of her usual bob. 

“Come in,” she called softly and tried not to react to the higher pitch of her youth. 

Hecate peeked in, her eyes frantic. It wasn’t as if Ada often forgot what her wife looked like but Hecate’s beauty was striking all the same, especially at this age. Ada felt a small dip in her stomach. This was the time she’d been thinking about the night before. Was she still dreaming somehow?

“I’m sorry,” ventured Hecate, “h-Deputy but I seem to be in a bit of a conundrum.”

Ada inspected Hecate for a minute, pausing on the slip in her speech. Had she been about to call Ada Headmistress? If so then could she possibly be…? “Yes?”

Hecate cleared her throat. “W-what day is it?”

Ada blinked a bit trying to pinpoint where she was. She summoned her planner but nothing arrived. She wracked her brain for her old spell, trying not to appear too conspicuous to a younger Hecate. Finally she retrieved her diary and the weight in her hands along with the star in the right corner told her this was most certainly not a dream. “The tenth of October, two thousand and four.”

Hecate’s eyes widened in a way that was all too familiar to Ada. “Oh,” she said slowly. 

If Ada was going to get back to her time, she was going to need help and there was no one she trusted more than Hecate. Even a Hecate she’d only known for seven years. 

“I seem to be in a bit of a conundrum myself and I must admit I’m as surprised at the date as you are.”

Hecate stared at her for a long moment. She took a step closer and Ada leaned in as if on instinct. “We’re not supposed to be here.”

Ada’s heart leapt at the acknowledgement. “What day was it when you went to sleep last night?”

Hecate hesitated only a moment before she answered, “The ninth of October, two thousand and fourteen.” She took a long breath then added, “and I wasn’t alone.”

Ada ventured a small smile. “Neither was I.”

Hecate raised her eyebrows and fully stepped into Ada’s room, shutting the door behind her. “Ada, how did we get here?”

Ada shrugged. “I’m not sure, I remember going to bed and discussing the day’s events but I’m not sure how that has anything to do with—“

“Your wish,” offered Hecate. 

“What?”

Hecate tilted her head and brushed a stray hair from her forehead. “This was the day of the annual council meeting. The mixer tonight, it’s where you said you knew,” she paused and ducked her head slightly, “how you felt and you wished that…” 

Ada’s eyes went wide and she started to pace. “But we were just talking and I was just wondering. Oh Hecate, I had no idea it would turn into a spell.”

Hecate bit her lip and opened her mouth as the bell for breakfast rang. She flexed her fingers at her sides. “We’ll have to get through the day as well as we remember while we figure out how to get back.”

Ada nodded and felt her heart sink as Hecate transferred away. 

* * *

It was odd having her mother at the school again. Ada almost sat in the wrong chair before Hecate saved her by clearing her throat and nodding to the Deputy’s chair. Ada whispered a thank you as Hecate sat a couple of seats down from her. 

“Are you excited for dinner this evening?” commented Alma as their breakfast was served. 

Ada sighed. “As I can be.” She remembered how much she’d loathed this day. Her mother had hoped for a match in Melannara but all Ada had wanted was Hecate. 

“Do try to keep your spirits up, love.”

“Yes, Mother,” replied Ada. She loved her mother but she definitely didn’t miss working with her or her meddlesome nature.

“You’ve always spoken highly of your correspondence with Melannara.”

Ada’s eyes widened but luckily her mother was rather focused on Helga Hillcrest. Ada remembered what a troublemaker she was and tried to recall if this was the day she’d blown up a room in the south tower. 

“She’s a time witch and a gifted educator but I’m not sure how much energy I’ll have tonight.” That sounded enough like her younger self, didn’t it?

Alma sighed and turned toward her. “You know I take no issue if you’d rather not pursue romantic interests but you could at least try to be cordial after leading the poor woman on.”

Ada tried not to pout. She hadn’t led her on technically. “I’ll do my best.” 

Alma turned to speak with Miss Gullet and Ada shifted to see how Hecate was faring. Hecate’s eyes were trained toward the pupils mostly but she seemed to be at least partially engaged in conversation with Dimity Drill. Ada tried not to laugh as Hecate rolled her eyes. 

_ Some things never change_, she thought. 

The bell rang and the pupils rushed to return their plates and gather things for their classes. 

“I’ll see you after your third lesson,” said Alma as she rose from her place. 

Ada almost asked what she meant when she remembered that she was only the Deputy and still had a course load. She nodded and hoped she’d taken the time to mark her lessons for the day. 

“Top drawer of your desk,” whispered Hecate as she sidled up to Ada.

“Hmm?”

Hecate looked around and soon they were alone in one of the corridors. Ada felt a silencing spell cloak them. 

“We used to review our plans before council days. You always forgot your timetable and I’d make sure to put them in the top drawer of your desk.”

Ada smiled gently and Hecate’s gaze turned into the fondness Ada was so used to in their present time. “How did I ever survive without you?”

Hecate ducked her head slightly. “You were and are very capable. I just… do what I can from time to time.”

Another bell rang over them. 

“You’ll be late,” said Hecate. 

Ada longed to reach up and kiss her but settled for a squeeze to her arm. “Remember it’s your free period now and mother will probably stop by with the budget review.”

Hecate raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Thank you. I’d forgotten.” The corner of her mouth turned upward into an almost smile. “What would I do without you?”

Ada chuckled. “I’ll find you after lunch.”

The last thing Ada saw was Hecate’s nod as she transferred to her classroom. 

* * *

Ada slammed the text on her desk, rattling the four others she’d consulted. She had yet to find a solution for she and Hecate’s current predicament. What she did find however was the high likelihood that their younger selves were probably having a hell of a time figuring out their lives in their older bodies. 

Ada sighed. At least ten years from now they didn’t have a council review to prepare for. 

“Ada?” came a voice from her doorway. 

Ada turned and gestured for Hecate to come in. Hecate clicked her fingers for the door and lock then moved to stand much closer than she would have at this age. 

Ada smiled fondly up at her. “Miss me?”

Hecate looked down between them and took a step back. “More than I’m allowed at this point.”

“You’re not alone in that,” offered Ada. She was rewarded with a small smirk from Hecate at the admission.

Hecate nodded to the stack of time magic books. “Any luck?”

Ada shook her head. “I’m afraid not,” she paused wondering if she should divulge the knowledge about their younger selves. She sighed, knowing there was nothing she could successfully keep from Hecate. “It gets worse I’m afraid.”

Hecate furrowed her brow. “Worse?”

Ada nodded. “If we’re here, that means the people we were now are in-"

Hecate squeaked and shook her head. “They, they would have seen, and, and they would know and—"

Ada lifted a hand. “If we can successfully switch back, we may be able to erase their memories.”

Hecate shook her head. “Ada, we cannot… we should not do that to ourselves.”

Ada sighed. “I don’t like it anymore than you, dear, but you know we can’t very well let ourselves know about—"

“What if we altered it?”

Ada knitted her eyebrows. “What?”

Hecate cleared her throat. “If we confessed now and tried it from here. Surely it would send us back and they would know as it will be as it has always been and we—“

“Can’t,” interrupted Ada as she suddenly recalled what happened the next morning. “Mother announces her retirement tomorrow and I need to name you as Deputy and the council wouldn’t let me because tonight Melannara begins her few years stint as council representative for administrative relations.”

Hecate sighed. “And we wouldn’t be allowed our positions with a prior relationship in place.”

Ada nodded. “That’s why I didn’t tell you in the morning like I’d planned.” She shook her head and plopped in her chair. “What a mess.”

They stayed in silence for a few moments before Hecate broke it. “Ada?”

“Hmm?” replied Ada as she looked up at her.

“Your wish last night. What exactly was it?”

“One of the worst magical mishaps I’ve managed and trust me, there have been many.”

Hecate shook her head and moved to lean against the side of Ada’s desk. “No, the details. What was your wish precisely?”

“That I could turn back the clock and see what it would be like to tell you how I felt now.”

Hecate tilted her head. “Was it a wish for only you?”

Ada bit her lip and tried to recall. “Yes I think so.” Her eyes widened with realization. “Then how did you get here?”

Hecate nodded. “Exactly. I… I made a wish too but I had not remembered in the shock of waking this morning.”

“Oh?” asked Ada as she leaned toward Hecate. “What for?”

Hecate’s cheeks colored slightly as she straightened and put some distance between she and Ada. “I may have wondered what it would have been like for my younger self to see us as we are now.”

“Hecate,” replied Ada slowly.

Hecate shook her head and crossed her arms. Her expression turned almost desperate as she elaborated. “I only… that is, I was so shocked that this night of all nights was the one you remembered. And, and I thought of how lonely I was and how much I might have been comforted if only I—"

Ada placed a hand on Hecate’s arm and gave her a light squeeze. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Hecate’s eyes widened as she looked around the room. “Ada, how can you say that?”

Ada stroked her arm lightly with her thumb before she pulled away. “You didn’t intend for your wish to come true.”

“Nor did you.”

Ada shrugged. “But I’m a time witch, I should have known better.” She sighed and looked to her texts a moment before she opened the second one again. She beamed as she found something. “Got it.”

Hecate moved to see what she’d found. “So we just wish at the same time again.”

Ada nodded. “Yes, but we have to be in the same position at the same time.”

“We can’t. What if someone sees me enter your rooms?”

“They won’t. I’ll enter yours. You go to bed much earlier than I do this evening.”

“Oh,” said Hecate as she nodded slowly. “Wait, what about our younger selves?”

Ada bit her lip and tapped her chin as she thought a moment. “What if instead of erasing our memories, we make it a dream?”

Hecate quirked an eyebrow. “You think it’ll work?”

“Well, for one, we’ve established both of us were too afraid the next morning to mention our feelings. I’d guess the same would go for a shared dream. Not to mention, we would both reach the same conclusion I did earlier with regard to the council.”

The bell rang for the next lesson, interrupting them once again. 

“My rooms, at eleven then.”

Ada nodded as Hecate transferred away just in time to miss being caught by Ada’s next round of students.

* * *

Ada felt as if she hadn’t been this exhausted in years. She’d finally managed to slip away to the corridor that held Hecate’s rooms and made herself invisible before pressing on Hecate’s security spell to ask for permission to transfer in. It was given readily and she found Hecate sitting up with her signature ramrod posture looking a bit weary. 

“Everything, all right, dear?”

“It was your mother.”

Ada knitted her eyebrows. “What?”

Hecate sighed and slumped her shoulders slightly, bringing her arms up around her middle as if to shield herself. “The person I couldn’t remember last night who had said what a pair you made. It sounded almost like… a warning.”

Ada quickly clicked her fingers to change into her nightdress and take down her hair. She had never been so grateful for the short length she knew she’d be returning to. She gingerly slipped into the bed and took Hecate’s hand. 

“She came around.”

Hecate shook her head. “It isn’t… I had no right to think I could have served you well now. I’m still not sure I deserve you sometimes but it hurt in a way I have not felt in years.”

Ada ran her thumb over Hecate’s fingers. “I’m sorry, my love.”

Hecate sniffled and turned to look at her properly. “I do not think it wise for us to try and pull off any spells like this in future but,” she paused and reached up to cup Ada’s cheek, “I am grateful to hear you say that looking like you did then.”

“You won’t remember it though. You’ll wake up in the morning still hurt and--"

Hecate leaned to press her forehead against Ada’s. “The me here won’t know but the me I’m going back to will. I know you didn’t intend on this, Ada, but I do appreciate what it’s given me.”

Ada gave her a small sweet kiss. “If you’d only let me, I’d go back and heal every hurt you’ve ever felt.”

Hecate smiled. “I know but it’s not necessary. Now I’d only like to return to our present. Who knows what chaos ensued today.”

She gave Ada a small kiss of her own before the clock struck eleven and they both made a wish. 


End file.
